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Revision as of 11:46, 11 March 2009

M249 squad automatic weapon

Nominator(s): Patton

• Featured article candidates/M249 squad automatic weapon
• Featured article candidates/M249 squad automatic weapon/archive1

I withdrew the last FAC for this article because I was afraid the concerns were too many to address during the FAC. Anyway, I feel I have addressed all of them and am nominating it for featured status again. It's come a long way; I have created a "operational history" section and incorporated the reception into it. Thanks in advance to all reviewers.--Patton 13:15, 8 February 2009 (UTC)

(Nom restarted. Old nom. Raul654 (talk) 05:04, 11 March 2009 (UTC))

Comments by Peripitus (talk · contribs), note that I've only read thoroughly to the end of the Development section. Not finished reading through yet - will finish in a day or so. Images look all good and have appropriate (free) licences, Referencing looks good (though I'm not keen on the use of titles in the notes sections...just for the sake of neatness)

• Acronyms (and jargon) need to be consistent, explained at first use and minimised. I think that all acronym use needs to be checked for these issues, eg:
  • new 5.56 mm LMG - think that this needs "caliber" as this is the first text use of the term.
  • reference to studies of non-5.56 mm cartridges, it is already clear that 5.56 is being talked about and this is perhaps better as reference to studies of other caliber light machine guns
  • HK lobbied - Full company name needed on first use
  • FN - same again. Though it is expanded in the lead I think the first use in the text has to be a full name with acronym in brackets.
  • built in the FNH factory - should this be the FN factory ?
• Some parts of the text are unclear.
  • Were Rock Island Arsenal awarded a dev contract or did they leap off on their own ?
  • Development contracts for the SAW - were all of these for the 6mm cartridge only ?
  • Not made clear who designates the experimental models (eg: XM233)
  • What is the XM249E1 variant and how does it differ from the XM249. Is this important enough to include ? Which version was the final M249 ?
  • was phased out in the 1950s, as the M14 was scheduled to replace it - does this mean the phase out happened while the M14 was replacing it or simply as a consequence of the replacement schedule ? perhaps better as was phased out and replaced by the M14 in the 1950s
  • The official adoption and standardization took place on February 1, 1982. - does standardization refer to it being published as an army standard or does this mean something different ? If published as a standard can this be made more explicit and hence clearer ?
• Some text issues involving convoluted wording and redundant words. (Don't count this as gospel - brilliant prose is not my forte)
  • It has a quick-change barrel so the gunner can rapidly replace an overheated or jammed barrel can be rapidly replaced by the gunner
  • There are tense problems at the start of the Development section. eg: The M2 is was a large-caliber heavy machine gun. Both are were very heavy weapons. Both the M2 and M60 still exist !. First three sentences of this paragraph need some work
  • Sometime before the end of Fiscal Year 1972 (ending June 30, 1972). Unless fiscal year is critical for understanding isn't this better as Prior to July 1972 as it is clear it has to happen after March 1972 from the proceeding sentences.
  • There were also In addition to these problems, there were complaints that the front sight required special adjustment tools
  • Neither of these designs was finalized March 1972, when by the time the Army published the specifications document for the planned SAW in March 1972
  • Congress deleted funds for the M249 from the Fiscal Year 1986 defense budget. Congress , then retroactively set aside the program's prior year's funds Fiscal Year 1985 funds from the M249 program for other purposes, including retirement and pay raises
• One information question I couldn't readily see the answer to.....How many have been made ?